As dramatic as the advances in chemistry in the late 19th century and physics in the early 20th century, advances in biology and medicine will characterize the early 21st century. Cellular and genetic therapies will come of age. I am applying for the Pioneer Award based on the idea that the work I will pursue will have a major impact on the development of cellular therapies, with a particular focus on applying knowledge of adult stem cell biology to enhance tissue repair and regeneration in the elderly. The demographics of our society are compelling in terms of the extraordinary challenges that will be faced in the coming decades as the population ages and the health issues of individuals in their 70[unreadable]s, 80[unreadable]s, and 90[unreadable]s become an increasingly important challenge to the scientific and medical communities. The long-term goal of the studies broadly outlined here is the restoration of tissue health and functionality to aging individuals who suffer from injury and disease. It is the intersection of stem cell biology, the biology of aging, and bioengineering that holds this great promise.